Velocipede



I .(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. I. WARMAN. VELOGIPEDE.

Patented June 7,1898;

1 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIA'lllllfllulbl m: ucnms PETERS coy. PHOTOLITHO" wasnmm'ox. n. c.

, in addition to the persons acting to propeli UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN I. WARMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINo1s.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,155, dated June '7, 1898. Application filed. October 26,1896. Serial No. 610,033. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in velocipedes, and refers more specifically tofv improvements in a carrier-vehicle which is propelled manually and is adapted to convey one or more passengers or other commodities the vehicle, the invention being of special utility when embodied in the form of an ambulance, but being also capable of embodiment in other forms, as will hereinafter more fully appear Among the ob ects of the invention are to provide a simple, practical, light, and strong I of the running-gear.

vehicle which may be propelled at a relatively high rate of speed and maintained under perfect control of the drivers, and which is constructed with special reference to safety and convenience of operation.

A further object aimed at in the construction of the ambulance forming one embodiment of the invention is to produce a machine which may be handled with the utmost convenience and expedition, thereby rendering the vehicle especially adapted for cases of emergency. Y 1

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and the same, will be readily understood, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in p pedals a a a respectively, mounted at the Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of the invention embodied in the form of an ambulance. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same, showing particularly the arrangement Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse Vertical sectional views taken on lines I 3 3 andet 46, respectively, of Fig. 2 and looking in the directions of the arrows. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the invention embodied in theform of a carriage or road-cart. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of a stretcher forming a part of the equipment of the ambulanceshown in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the same, showing the parts changed into po'-- sition' to form a reclining-chair. Fig. .8 is a fragmentary detail showing the form of hinge employed for uniting the two parts of the main body of the stretcher. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail showing the holding-ratchet, by means of which the foot-support is held 1 in proper relation to the body of the stretcher.

Fig. 10 is an axial sectional detail of. one of the vertical steering-wheel standards.

First describing the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, A designates as a whole a tubular framework supported at its rear by means of two transversely opposite main supporting and driving wheels and at its front by means of two other supporting and guiding or steering wheels, the said framework and several supportingwheels corresponding generally to the running-gear of an ordinary carriage. Describing said parts in detail, A A designate two upright frames arranged to extend longitudinally at opposite sides of the vehicle and each of which consists of a somewhat modified form of diamond frame, such as used in an ordinary safety-bicyclethat is to say, each frame A comprises a front steering-head standard a, a steering-spindle (1, arranged to extend vertically therethrough, handle-bars a connected with the upper end of said steeringspindle in the usual manner, a seat post standard a lower front frame member a and upper frame member, or backbone 11*, connecting the seat-post standard with the steering-head standard, a saddle-post (1., arranged to telescope at its lower end within the seatpost standard and carrying at its upper end a saddle a a crank-axle, crank-arms, and

junction of the lower frame member with the lower end of the seat-post standard and upper and lower rear-fork members a e respectively, connected with the upper and lower parts of the seat-post standard also in the usual manner. Within the rear forks of each frame A is mounted a main driving and supporting wheel A which is driven from the pedals by means of the usual sprockets a a and sprocket-chain a. standard is in the present construction arrang'edto extend downwardly at its lower end a considerable distance below the point of connection therewith of the lower front frame member (1 and a second lower front frame The steering-head IOO member a is rigidly connected with the lower end of said standard and arranged to extend obliquely upward and rearwardly to and is connected with the frame a at a point between the ends of the latter, thus rendering the lower end of the steering-head rigid with the main frame.

Next describing the supporting-frame, by means of which the bed or body of the vehicle is suspended between the upright frames hereinbefore described, B designates a transversely-arranged horizontal frame member rigidly connected at each of its ends with the inner one of the lower rear-fork members (0 at points between the ends of the latter, as at I).

B designates suspension or truss members, each connected at one end with the upper part of one of the inside upper rear-fork members at the inner side of the latter, as at Z1, and extending thence obliquely downward and inwardly to and connected at its lower end with the horizontal member 13 at a point b some distance from the end of the latter.

13 designates a second transversely arranged horizontal member rigidly connected at its ends with the lower ends of the steering head standards by means of suitable union-pieces b and in order to support and strengthen the frame member B between its ends braces Z) are arranged to extend from the upper part of each steering-head standard obliquely downward to and are connected with said frame member in a mannersubstantially like the similar braces of the frame member B.

\Vith the front transverse member is connected a forwardly-extending horizontallyarranged rigid truck-frame, consisting of a lower approximately semicircularframe member 13-, connected at its rear with said transverse frame member, so as to extend in substantially the same horizontal plane therewith, by means of curved braces or unionpieces D, said braces being arranged with their concaved sides facing outwardly and arranged to extend from their points of connection with the curved member B divergently outward and rearwardly, so as to unite with the transverse frame member as near the ends of the latter as practicable without interfering with the sweep of the steering-wheels O. The forward ends of the curved frame member are rigidly connected by means of a straight transverse conneetingbar 13. b designates a unionpiece or clip which is arranged to connect the rear sides of the curved frame member with the transverse frame member at the center of the latter at the point of nearest approach of said parts, and from said union-piece is arranged to rise a short rigid standard B with the upper part of which is connected a second horizontaliy-arranged curved frame member B, arranged to extend concentrically with the lower curved frame member, but formed upon a larger radius, as indicated clearly in plan Fig. 2. The lower curved frame member is provided at each side, at diametrically opposite points, with union-pieces or clips b with which are respectively connected short vertical tubular steering-wheel standards 13 the upper ends of which are rigidly connected with the forward ends of the upper curved frame member B".

lVithin each of thetubular standards ll is journalcd a spindle B provided atits upper end with a transverse eye or socket U, (see detail Fig. 1.0,) within which is seated the inner end of the horizontal outwardly-projeeting stub axle or spindle C, upon which is mounted the steering-wheel C.

To now describe the steering mechanism, by means of which the steering-wheels (J are caused to oscillate about their vertical axes and in unison, the lower end of each of the vertical spindles B is provided with a rigid horizontally-extending arm D. Upon the lower end of the standard 13 is pivotally mounted a three-armcd lever D, two of the arms d d of which are arranged to extend at right angles to each other, while the third, (Z is arranged to extend rearwardly in a direction in alinement with a line dividing the angle between said arms (Z d. The arms D are so arranged as to extend, when the steeringwheels are in their normal position in alinement with the body of the vehicle, obliquely forward and inwardly in a direction substantially parallel with the arm (Z or (1 at the side of the vehicle remote therefrom, and each pair of parallel arms are connected at their outer ends by means of connecting-wads D \Vhen thus connected, it will be obvious that upon the oscillation of the three-armed lever in either direction the steeringwheels will be caused to oscillate about their vertical axes and will at the same time be maintained parallel with each other, thus causing the vehicle to diverge to the right or left, as the case may be. In order to thus oscillate the three-armed lever, the lower end of each steering-spindle (b is arranged to extend below the steeringhead standard and is provided with a horizontally-extending arm D arranged in the present instance to extend rearwardly and slightly inward therefrom.

D designates connecting-rods, by means of which the outer ends of each of the arms D are pivotally connected with the arm d of the three-armed lever, thus enabling the vehicle to be steered by means of either pair of handle-bars and at the same time insuring that said handle-bars shall move in unison with each other. In order to limit the extent of oscillation of the steering-wheels about their vertical axes, stops are provided, shown in the present instance as conveniently formed integral with the arms D and arranged to contact with depending tubular studs (Z projecting downwardly from the outer end of the transverse frame member B It will be obvious that anysuitable form of Vehicle-body may be mounted upon the running-gear thus described-as, for instance, a

carriage-body such as illustrated in Fig. or

bolster or supporting-bar E is similarly secured to rest upon the cross-bar B, which unites the front ends of the lower semicircular frame-bar E the upper surfaces of all three of the bolsters being in the present instancearranged to lie in the same horizontal plane. Upon the bolsters is mounted a fiat platform or buckboard E provided at each side with longitudinally extending guide strips e, which rise some distance above the top surface of the platform. The platform is conveniently and as herein shown secured in position upon the bolsters by means of bolts or screws inserted through the upper ends of the U-shaped straps e, the upper ends of the latter being bent outwardly at right angles to the side surfaces of the bolster, so as to form angle-irons, through which and the body of the platform said bolts or screws are inserted. Upon the platform thus mounted upon the running-gear is arranged to rest and slide a removable stretcher, which may be described generally as consisting of a main body F, which has the form of an oblong substantially rectangular open-topped box composed of three sections F, F, and F flexibly united with each other, so as to be capable of fiex ing or folding upon transverse lines to permit the body of the stretcher to assume various positions, as indicated in Fig. 7.

As a convenient means for holding the stretcher in position upon the platform a plurality of rectangular links'K K are pivotally attached to suitable eye-lu gs is, mounted upon the side walls of the platform and adapted when turned upwardly to embrace rectangular lugs is, mounted to register therewith, upon the bottom frame of the stretcher, said holding-lugs being provided with transverse key-apertures, through which may be inserted pins 70 to hold the links in engagement therewith.

In order to prevent the patient from ex posure while being conveyed in the vehicle, a folding canopy or cover J is provided, made of canvas, leather, or other suitable material and arranged to cover and inclose the entire length of the stretcher, as indicated clearly in Fig. 1.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 5 the running-gear is identical with that hereinbefore described, with the exception that the bolsters and platform are omitted and in lieu thereof a three-seated carriage -body L is mounted upon the vehicle. The rear end of said body is suitably secured directly upon the rear transverse supporting-frame member, while the,front end thereof is provided with a platform suitably conformed and arranged to rest directly upon the curved lower horizontal frame member 13 and connectingbar 13. Inasmuch as the details of this carriage-body may be varied as desired or to suitthe particular want and form no part of the present invention, they need not be further described herein.

I claim 1. In a velocipede, the combination of two parallel, laterally opposite, upright frames and rear driving-wheels mounted therein a saddle above each of said wheels, pedal meeh anism for driving each wheel independently of the other, horizontal transversely-arranged supporting-bars extending between and rigidly connecting said upright frames at points between the driving-wheels and at their front ends respectively, a steering-truck connected with the central part of the foremost one of said transverse members, steering -wheels connected with said steering-truck at each side thereof, steering-handles in front of each saddle and interconnecting means between said handles and the steering-wheels whereby the latter may be turned by either rider, the arrangement of the transverse supportingbars, and the steering-truck being such that an open space is provided between the pairs of wheels adapted to receive a stretcher arranged horizontally at full length with the head and foot ends of the same projecting beyond the axes of the front and rear pairs of wheels respectively.

2. In a velocipede, the combination of two parallel, laterally opposite, upright frames and rear driving-wheels mounted therein a saddle above each of said wheels, pedal mechanism for driving each wheel independently of the other, horizontal transversely-arranged supporting-bars extending between and rigidly connecting said upright frames at points between the driving-wheels and at their front ends respectively, a steering-truck connected with the central part of the foremost one of said transverse members, vertically-arranged steering-wheel spindles revolubly mounted one at each side of said steering-truck, steering-wheels mounted upon said spindles so as to oscillate about the latter, steering-handles in front of each saddle and interconnecting means between said handle and the steeringwheel whereby the latter may be turned by either rider, the arrangement of the transverse supporting-bars and steering-truck being such that an open space is provided between the pairs of wheels adapted to receive a stretcher arranged horizontally to rest at full length upon said members with the head and foot ends of the same projecting beyond the axes of the front and rear ends of wheels respectively.

3. A carriervelocipede comprising two latorally-supported transversely opposite upright driver-supporting frames, each embracing wheel-forks, steering-spindle, handle-bars and pedals, a driving-wheel mounted in the forks of each upright snpp0rti11g-frame and d riving" connections between the pedals thereof and said driving-wheel, a horizontal supporting-frame suspended between said upright frames and supported at its front by means of a pair of transversely opposite steering-wheels arranged to oscillate upon separate vertically-arranged steering-spindles located at each side of and in rear of the front end of the horizontal frame and interconnections between the individual steering mechanism of the upright frame and said steering-spindles whereby the steering-wheels are caused to move in unison.

4-. The combination of the upright frames A A, )rovided with the driving-Wheels and driving mechanism, the transverse rear and front frame members B 13 respectively, the truck-frame member B rigidly connected with the transverse frame member B the vertical oscillatory spindles B connected with the opposite sides of said truck-frame member and the interconnected steering mechanism, whereby the vehicle may be steered by either driver, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I afl'ix my signature, in the presence of two Witnesses, this 15th day of Oet0- ber, A. D. 1800.

JOHN I. \VA RMAN.

\Yitnesses:

ALBERT II. GRAVES, HENRY \V. CARTER. 

